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Share via. Copy Link. Powered by Social Snap. Copy link. Copy Copied. Anne Boleyn's reputation for being a witch has been unfairly held against her.
In trying to find grounds to incriminate her, King Henry claimed that she had used witchcraft to make him fall in love with her. He also said he feared that she would harm him with poison -- a common accusation against witches. Her enemies also repeated charges of physical deformity, such as that she was too tall, had a sixth finger which was probably just an extra fingernail , and had strange warts and growths on her body that could have been witch's teats.
The allegedly deformed male fetus of her last birth in was also used against her. While raised as an issue at first, witchcraft did not end up among the charges used by the court which found her guilty of treason in conspiracy with her alleged lovers including her brother.
That the first English law against witchcraft was passed just a few years after her trial, in , reflects the growing fears about witches in England, in which Anne was also ensnared. On Anne and witchcraft, see especially the book by Warnicke.
For more on witches see The Witch Hunts The most obvious parallel between Queen Anne b. But how these women of minor nobility became and lived as royal wives was very different. Her reputation for virginity, unlike her older sister whose sexual activity was less pure, made her a suitable breeding candidate for royal offspring.
Henry Tudor's tempting her with marriage eventually overcame her resistance. Unfortunately, the scandal created by his marrying her and annulling his first marriage with Catherine of Aragon did not help Anne's popularity.
Many with Roman Catholic sympathies blamed her for the break with the papacy. And Anne had no real public role, being only perceived as a sexual partner and a breeder--as was typical of the 16th Century. The English people had little contact with or love for her except for a few Protestant reformers. Anne's failure to bear an heir doomed her. When Henry turned to another Jane Seymour for sex and breeding, he needed to get rid of Anne as quickly and conveniently as possible. Tortured conspirators and bribed or intimidated witnesses before a kangaroo court expedited her execution.
Although the media manufactured a romance, Charles and Di never shared much passion. Prince Charles Windsor seems to have used Lady Diana Spencer's virtue of virginity as the main criteria for choosing her as a spouse and like Anne, Di had an older sister, Sarah, who had been involved with the prince, but lacked the virtuous reputation. Charles, for his own reasons, clearly never desired her as a sexual partner, turning to his old flame, Camilla.
Charles would hardly have been able to end the marriage, though, since Diana was protected in her position by tradition, church law, and the Queen's conservative attitudes on family.
Most important, modern media had granted her a unique public status as a popular royal figure comparable to, if not surpassing, Charles and even Queen Elizabeth II. And Princess Di did fulfill her role as a breeder, begetting the "heir and the spare. Because of the exposure of Di's own marital infidelity, however, she embarrassed the monarchy.
Although she lost some public sympathy, her charm and popularity still protected her. And, fortunately, by the late 20th Century divorce was a more acceptable means of dumping adulterous royal wives than execution. The monarchy eventually agreed to the end of the marriage in Her sudden and surprising death in preserved her in public memory as a life cut short.
Strangely enough, the idea of the execution method has been resurrected with posthumous publications by her butler among others of Diana's alleged fear that she would be murdered to make way for Charles to legitimately remarry. Albert, Marvin H. The Divorce. New York, N. The second portion of the book contains a major section dedicated to Anne Boleyn. Boleyn is referred to as the "other woman. Also, mentioned is how Henry's wish to divorce his first wife Catherine, was refused by Pope Clement and how this situation would be a key factor in England's break from the Catholic Church.
The book also discusses the enemies Henry made by his divorce from Catherine and the large number of supporters she would acquire. Anne Boleyn's downfall and the accusations, including one of an incestuous relationship with her brother George, made against her, are all discussed. This chapter is appropriately entitled, 'Sword for a slender neck. Included are also copies of handwritten letters from Catherine to Henry, and vice versa.
Written as an encyclopedia article, this site only offers an extremely brief synopsis of Anne Boleyn's life. This website includes a search option to research other famous individuals but the information given is also brief.
Bowle, John. Henry VIII. Although the book primarily concerns itself with the life of Henry VIII, it does not fail to discuss and analyze the relationship between Henry and Anne Boleyn. It discusses Henry's actions appointing Anne to the position of Marchioness of Pembroke, and the large endowment she would receive with that title.
After Anne Boleyn was married to Henry and because she was the new Queen of England, she would face a great deal of unpopularity especially from the peasants. They claimed that since Anne came in as Queen, the crops had been terrible, and unemployment and inflation were getting worse Bowle, Many had perceived her as arrogant and cruel.
The power that Anne held over Henry was also mentioned. This power is what the author would claim to be his ruination. Henry's claims that he had been seduced by witchcraft and that he was free to take another wife, was a primary reason discussed as to why Henry would ultimately have his wife tried with adultery and treason. This book is a good work written on the life of Henry VIII, but it also provides the reader with some valuable insight on the life of Anne Boleyn.
The book includes an index to assist the reader in finding specific people and events in Henry's life as well as a valuable and extensive lineage chart of the royalty of Europe during Henry's time. Bruce, Marie Louise. Anne Boleyn. Anne received an education in France and as the author points out, "her education in France was influenced by two opposing attitudes in the King's Court, a devout, almost monastic religious piety, and a rampant eroticism disguised by the gallant conventions of 'courtly love'.
Upon her return from France, Anne would enjoy a life in the court of Henry VIII and she was to wed James Butler as part of an arrangement made by her father as well as the King, himself. The only problem was that she had eyes for another man, Lord James Percy.
An affair would soon ensue and Anne would be exiled to Ireland, home country of her father. Anne, however, would eventually return to England, becoming maid of honor to Queen Catherine, Henry's first wife. As a result of closer contact to the King, it was said that Anne engaged in an affair with poet and consultant to the King, Thomas Wyatt, as well as the King himself.
When Catherine did not produce a male heir to the throne, Henry sought a divorce from his wife of eighteen years and to marry Anne. Anne would become Queen, producing only one surviving child, Elizabeth.
Anne would now also face a threat from the King's new mistress, Jane Seymour. Anne would be accused and found guilty of adultery, as well as treason.
Anne would be held prisoner and given an unjust trial and ultimately beheaded. Bruce includes an extensive section of many useful notes and sources as well as an index, easily helping to further research on Anne Boleyn. There is no doubt of the legitimacy of Bruce's work. Cockburn, Alexander. An entertaining article, although it fails to significantly mention Anne Boleyn.
It does however, use her name to compare the scandal surrounding her marriage to Henry VIII and her death to many other scandals especially those of sexual nature to those of the later royal families of England. The article is used to entertain rather to provide any real informative information surrounding Anne Boleyn nor any of the others mentioned. Dowling, Maria. Although the magazine in which this article was found is predominately a magazine of book reviews, Dowling presents her critique in the form of a debate.
Warnicke claims it was based on witchcraft, however, Dowling feels she fails to provide enough evidence to support this theory. Dowling also feels that the role Anne played in religion was not adequately presented. This was an informative article presenting the sides of the story, which Warnicke fails to address in her book. Eakins, Lara E. This site provides a good biography, some interesting portraits of Anne Boleyn, pictures of places where she lived, and a few brief primary sources like her final speech on the scaffold.
Also, as the site's author writes: "This site contains biographical information on people during the Tudor period of English history, as well as calendars, glossaries, maps, genealogical trees, information on life during the period, Tudor architecture and more. There are also pages on Tudor history in today's world, such as recent discoveries in the news, new books and movies. Connect to others with similar interests through the mailing lists and pen pal pages.
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